FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, 304-696-7153
wellmand@marshall.edu

Debate tournament at Marshall University ‘a huge success’

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The first collegiate speech and debate tournament at Marshall University in several years was “a huge success,’’ the coach of the Thundering Word said today.

Coach Danny Ray said eight teams participated in the Chief Justice/Alumni Swing Tournament last Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, on Marshall’s Huntington campus. Ohio University finished first in the tournament, followed by Western Kentucky University and Bowling Green State University.

As the host school, Marshall was not eligible to win the tournament, although some of its team members did participate and perform well, according to Ray.

“The tournament was a huge success,” Ray said. “As I started the awards ceremony, I mentioned that this was the first time in years that Marshall had hosted a collegiate speech tournament on campus and everyone cheered, happy to see Marshall’s Thundering Word on the circuit once again.”

Marshall students received the following awards:

After-Dinner Speaking

Third place – Kayla Johnson, Gallipolis sophomore, French/English education major and John Marshall Scholar

Duo Interpretation

Second place – Kayla Johnson and Ryan Jackson, Huntington sophomore, political science major
Top novice – Shayne Gue, Barboursville junior, biomedical science major and John Marshall Scholar, and Mark Radford, Huntington freshman, theatre major

Informative Speaking

Third place – Ryan Jackson; fifth place – Shayne Gue; Top novice – Kendrick Vonderschmitt, Louisville sophomore and John Marshall Scholar

Dramatic Interpretation

Top novice – Shayne Gue

Poetry

Third place – Zack Frame, St. Albans senior, oral communications education major

Programmed Oral Interpretation

First place – Ryan Jackson; second place – Kayla Johnson; third place – Kegan Angel, Gallipolis sophomore, biomedical science major

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Semifinalist and third-best debater – Kendrick Vonderschmitt. He was 6-0 in preliminary rounds and the top seed going into the semifinals

Quadrathon

            The best four events per contestant or the individual sweepstakes – Ryan Jackson, fifth place with 50 points. Kayla Johnson finished in ninth place

Marshall has qualified 20 slots for the national tournament in April. Considering the team has only nine members, that number is “an extremely good thing … unheard of,” Ray said.

For more information, contact Ray at 304-696-2807.

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